Apr

Smithsonian Channel wins prestigious Peabody

Smithsonian Channel has been honored with the prestigious Peabody Award for its documentary MLK: The Assassination Tapes. The program was recognized by the Peabody organization for its “gripping reconstruction of the events surrounding the Civil Rights leader’s 1968 murder.

Winning its first Peabody, which honors the year’s best in electronic media, is an extraordinary achievement for the Smithsonian Channel. MLK: The Assassination Tapes, which premiered to critical acclaim in February 2012, is the story of the last days of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., told through rare television and radio news accounts, much of which had not been seen or heard since 1968. The film truly delivers on the network’s promise to bring viewers dramatic stories that reveal new information and unique insights.

First presented in 1941, the Peabody Awards recognize distinguished achievement and meritorious service by broadcasters, cable and webcasters, production companies and individuals. The awards program is administered by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.

Selection is made each spring by the Peabody Board, a 16-member panel of distinguished academics, television critics, industry practitioners and experts in culture and the arts. This year’s recipients include the HBO comedy-drama “Girls,” the FX series “Louie,” TNT’S “Southland,” HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” and CBS’s “60 Minutes.”

The awards will be presented at the 2012 Peabody Awards luncheon on May 20 in New York.